The Not So New 2024 50 Books a Year - Thread 2

Books 52 & 53

Then She Vanishes - Clair Douglas
I enjoyed this, it’s about a missing girl and her family, and the seemingly random murder of two strangers by her sister.

Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater.
A story set more or less in a bookshop, it centres around two young women, Roach, sullen, grubby goth, with an obsession with serial killers, and Laura, pretty, sociable and a drunk, whose mother was murdered by a serial killer.
The book alternates a chapter with each girl, it’s hard to really like it, because both of them are really unpleasant characters, Roach is probably worse, but I found myself sympathising more with her than Laura.
The story keeps you guessing, and I did enjoy it, but even the cast of more minor characters, I found unpleasant.

Book 158, Evacuees at the Wartime Bookshop, nice story, set in 1942. It`s the 4th in a series, but I couldn`t be bothered to look for the previous 3. Will be looking out for the next one though.

#77. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty.

#65 Take your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay

Andrew's wife, Brie, vanishes from their home while he is away on a weekend's fishing with a friend. Family and friends assume Andrew has got away with murder and he is ostracised but the police are unable to build a case against him.

Six years later his life is back on track. He's moved away, has got a new girlfriend and things are good.

But then a woman who looks like Brie turns up at their old address before vanishing as quickly as she appeared.

Andrew is desperate to find out what happened to Brie and to clear the black cloud hanging over him if he can stay alive long enough to find out ......

#70 was Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams . Queenie is a 25 year old, living in London, from Jamaican heritage. As the book opens, her relationship is going “on a break” and Queenie’s life begins to unravel in increasingly spectacular fashion. At times I was rooting for her, at others I wanted to shout at her. Ultimately, though, I wanted the best for her and I had to ignore what I should have been doing to sit and read the last 100 pages or so to get to the end. 8/10

Book 159, The Wrong Sister, by Claire Douglas. I`m beginning to likev her thrillers.

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. True story about hope, the natural world and a reminder that humans can endure adversity'

Hellogirl, I agree, the more I read, the more I’m enjoying them.

No 26 The Bookbinders of Jericho by Pip Williams. This is a companion book, not a sequel, to The Dictionary of Lost Words. It’s set around the time of WW1 and concerns the lives of those who worked in the publishing world of Oxford University. I enjoyed it, though I have been doing little reading of late, which is most unlike me.

Terribull The Romantic is just amazing, isn’t it? I can’t imagine how much research goes into writing a book with so much detail.

#45 The Ballad of Smallhope & Pennyroyal Jodi Taylor.
Two occasional characters in the wonderful St Mary's Chronicles and Time Police series finally have their own book. I have been looking forward to it ever since I heard that it was in production. It did not disappoint.
#46 The Chalk Pit Elly Griffiths.
This is number 9 in the Dr Ruth Galloway series. I'm sure most people are familiar with this first rate series set in North Norfolk about a forensic archaeologist who assists the police with cases as a consultant and her complicated relationship with the Chief Inspector in charge of the Serious Crime unit Harry Nelson.

A voyage around the Queen by Craig Brown, quite a tome, some of it interesting facts about the queen and her habits and affects on people she met, some of it quite boring.

Bridie, that’s on my book shelf waiting to be read. I think all Royal Biographies have their dull passages, but I love our late queen, and am looking forward to reading it.

Book 160, The Lost Girl, by Rosie Goodwin. A nice story, set in the 1870s.

89-The Forget-me-Not Sonata-Santa Montefiore-Buenos Aires 1948, Audrey Garnet meets brothers Cecil and Louis Forrester. Two very different characters, but which one should she choose? Does her heart or her head help her decide?
A fabulously written emotional story of love, loss and the power of music.

Book 161, The Wishing Well, by Anna Jacobs. A bit what I call chick-littish, I`ve decided I prefer her period stories, but this wasn`t too bad.

#71 was The Trick of Time by Kit de Waal. Mona is newly 60, living on the south coast and determined to find happiness before it’s too late. As a young woman she moved from rural Wexford to Birmingham and had a happy life and marriage until a sudden, devastating loss that has shaped the rest of her life.
I’m not sure how I feel about this book, I mostly enjoyed it, but some of it didn’t work for me at all. 7/10

61 The Examiner - Janice Hallett

Having loved her first book, The Appeal, I've read her three subsequent novels which I've found very hard to get to grips with, this latest one being no exception. I was ok initially. JH has her own unique style in relating the story through emails, group What'sApps and in this one essays and even examinations given the title. The main characters are a group of 6, mainly mature students doing a Masters in multimedia art and their Professor who has set up this new degree course, one of them winds up dead! The course is blighted by accusations, theft of materials, a rumoured extra marital affair, sabotage of course work and a disastrous road trip. I got lost half way through, I was too thick too baffled by the complexities of the plot which has been the case with her other two books. I live in hopes she might produce another one like The Appeal which didn't float over my head, but otherwise, I don't think her books are for me, they continue to get rave reviews though.

Sue Donin, yes The Romantic was an amazing book, William Boyd he's such a good writer and that's one of his best.

Terribull I’ve nearly finished ‘Babysitter’! My goodness it’s gripping isn’t it? Probably finish it tomorrow so I’ll report back then. A slow burner of a novel. I was even finding it a bit turgid at the start, plodding a little, too much description. I thought it needed serious editing then, 40% in (Kindle version) and Wham! I was hooked and have found it pretty tense and keep wanting to pick it up and find out more (but I’ve been busy today aargh!). Hannah and her life seems to be unraveling. I can’t see a way out of this mess for her ….

I thought so too FGT, as you say, slow start, but positively riveted I was.

Well I won't give anything away as to the conclusion, but I'll just say this "hang on in there".

90-12 months to live-James Patterson & Mike Lupica-Jane Smith is a top defence lawyer who has a client accused of a triple murder. Then she is shocked to find out she has cancer and maybe only a year to live. She is determined to delay her treatment so she can continue with the difficult case.

Book 54
All the Colours of the Dark - Chris Whitaker
I have been really looking forward to this , having enjoyed all of his previous books.
But to begin with, I felt it was just a variation on a theme, very similar format to all his other books, small town, missing girl, good cop, dysfunctional families, but gradually it became quite gripping, some wonderful characters, strong women, and strong relationships.
I did enjoy it a lot, perhaps a little over sentimental for my taste, but I have to admit, I stayed up late to finish it last night, and I was crying for the last few chapters.

I’ve finished ‘Babysitter’. I was wrung out a few times by the tension it generated. However (somewhat disappointingly) the ending confused me somewhat. No spoilers but I’m going to have to Google the novel to understand it!

www.theguardian.com/books/2022/aug/21/babysitter-by-joyce-carol-oates-review-risk-taking-and-unforgettable

I didn’t know she’d written 59 books! Never heard of her.

#47 The Nonesuch Georgette Heyer.
My October reread of a Georgette Heyer title, I am revisiting one a month in 2024. Undemanding but lovely. I have enjoyed Ms Heyer's books for over 55 years.